What the #!%*?: Competing visions fight for future of Toronto’s rapid transit

TTC: Competing visions fight for future of Toronto's rapid transit

The continuing saga of how Toronto should build rapid transit has gripped City Hall this week. But it is unclear what vision will prevail. The Post’s Natalie Alcoba answers pertinent questions about a complicated issue in this occasional feature.

What is the province building now, and what are the proposed changes?
In March of last year, Mayor Rob Ford and Premier Dalton McGuinty scrapped a previous agreement to build light rail lines on Finch, Sheppard and Eglinton avenues in favour of another deal to put all of its $8.2-billion of provincial funding into an Eglinton light rail line that runs predominantly underground from Black Creek Drive to Kennedy Station. Some of the money would go to converting the existing Scarborough rapid transit into light rail. Meanwhile, the city would assume responsibility for extending the Sheppard subway — an expansion the Mayor campaigned for — with up to $650-million from the province if it has any money left over from the Eglinton project. This week, details began emerging of an alternate vision, championed by TTC chair Karen Stintz, that suggests running the Eglinton line at the surface in the eastern, more spacious, suburbs. The money saved, estimated at $1.5-billion, could then go to adding two kilometres to the Sheppard subway, and a rapid transit corridor on Finch, possibly buses.

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What does the Mayor think of the change?
He thinks it stinks. Well, not in so many words, but the Mayor has made it abundantly clear that he does not want to budge on one of his defining positions: no train tracks in the middle of roads. On Wednesday, he told the Post, “Scarborough residents voted me in to build subways and I’m building subways” and he stated his case on his Facebook page on Thursday. And at least seven councillors are lining up behind the Mayor, insisting that the current agreement with the province — a non-binding memorandum of understanding, no less — should stand. “I’m a person who believes that transit only works well underground,” said Councillor David Shiner. Councillors Mike Del Grande, Norm Kelly and Doug Holyday have serious doubts that the provincial government would kick over any money saved from a more affordable Eglinton line.

Who stands on the other side?
There is significantly more support behind changing the current transit plan — those in the group say they have a majority; the Post counted at least 20 councillors — but among that bunch there is a diversity of opinion. Virtually all agree with the concept of saving money by not tunnelling the full eastern portion of the Eglinton line. What happens next is “more complicated,” as Councillor Gord Perks puts it. Councillors Glenn De Baeremaeker and Shelley Carroll, for example, prefer an LRT on Sheppard Avenue, as was originally planned. Councillor Maria Augimeri is not excited about bus rapid transit on Finch. “If I have to give up the dream of rapid transit in the form of an LRT on Finch, I won’t do it willingly. I’ll only do it if it makes financial sense,” she said. And out in Scarborough, even those who support revamping the plan, such as Raymond Cho, do so with some chagrin. Extending the Sheppard subway to Victoria Park would bring it to the border of Scarborough, but not inside. Councillor Carroll says this is exactly the kind of debate council should be having. “Here is a conversation on a real, rational transit plan — not fairy dust. I’m prepared to get on that train and say let’s go for this ride.”

So what is it going to take to change the plan?
Metrolinx chair Rob Prichard said on Wednesday the transit agency would consider changing the plan “if city council and the mayor and the TTC all together come forward” with a proposal. On Thursday, Metrolinx repeated what it has been saying for the last couple of days, that it awaits “the City’s single position on this issue.” It’s unclear whether that means with or without the Mayor. Certainly, if the matter is brought before council for a vote, as is the plan, then council has the power to overrule the Mayor, since he is just one vote. Councillors have been complaining for months that the Mayor did not have the authority to unilaterally toss out the former light rail plan, and sign a new agreement — but he did, and the Premier signed on.